When I See You Again
by SamuraiEmpress123
Summary: After the collapse of the factory, Robin had been sent to an old castle home to the STEAL. She is not the only witch with elemental powers. She decides to join them in search of the man of her desires.Will their paths cross again? MF [HIATUS]
1. Chapter 1:Continue

Disclaimer: I do not own Witch Hunter Robin or any of it's characters. I only own the members of the STEA-L.

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Author's Note: This chapter might be pretty short because it's the first chapter. Anyway! This would take place during the end of the last episode and afterward. If you watched the show, you should recognize what Amon does from episode 15.

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Chapter One: Continue

Self destruction. Everyone was thought to have escaped, yet two were still inside. The ground rumbled, flames shooting out from the steaming pipes. Robin spun around, looking for her lost comrades. _They were just behind me…_ She frantically ran, dodging falling rubble and running through fire. She called their names…but was only looking for one. "AMON! AMON! Where are you!" She cried desperately, stopping to catch her breath as smoke filled her lungs. Her legs gave out on her, causing her to collapse to the ground, gasping for the pure air of the outside world. "Help me…" She gasped weakly.

Suddenly, an arm found its way to hers, pulling her roughly across the room. Robin wiped her wet eyes, trying to look through the smoke to see the figure in front of her. "Hurry! We have to go!" The deep voice called as the two started down the stairs. Up ahead, the area became clear and Robin could recognize her rescuer. "Amon…" He stopped as she did, turning back to face her with the same emotionless expression he always had. "Let's go." He watched as Robin stumbled helplessly down the stairs. It was becoming hard to stand. "Where can we go?" She whispered as she reached him, coughing painfully. "Out." Amon roughly caught her wrist, pulling her continuously through halls and stairs. Behind them, explosions could be heard as the heat intensified. Eventually, they stopped before a small well.

Amon pressed the side, causing a small opening to appear with a keyboard inside. He frantically began punching in numbers. "Where do we go from here?" "Things will have quieted, but you need to lay low just in case." Robin listened as Amon explained everything until a loud rumbling began. "It's falling apart," Robin said as she stood. Another beep came, and the well shook, opening. "Come here." Robin hurried over to Amon and he grabbed her shoulders, easing her down the well to a small platform above an endless darkness. "What is this?" "I found a scale of the building and found that there are several escape routes such as the one back at the STN-J headquarters I sent you down. It leads to an underground sewer and if it's followed, it will lead to the street." Amon jumped down the well, landing right in front of Robin, looking her in the eye. Her breathes were raspy and frequent, her expression afraid. "Now listen carefully," Amon instructed, leaning as close to her as possible. "You need to follow the underground sewer until you find a ladder. Once you've climbed up, you need to find a building where you will stay." Quietly, Amon moved his hand behind Robin's head, sliding a piece of paper into her hair. Her face flushed slightly as she looked at him. _So close…_ "If something happens to me, that is where you will go. Now hurry."

Robin watched as Amon climbed back up, looking down at her. That's when she remembered…At headquarters. Being hunted. Being rescued by Amon. Being thrown down the well. The closeness. The words. The feeling of losing him. She didn't want to feel that again. "AMON!" Just as before, she grabbed his sleeve, trying to coax him to leave with her. "Please come with me!" "Don't be foolish. Go!" He was about to move her hand away when he saw something shocking. Robin began crying. "You did this last time and I almost lost you! Don't do that again! Amon! I love you!" Amon's eyes widened as he watched tears flow down the innocent blue eyes. For the first time in a long time, someone wanted to be with him. To pull him in instead of push him away. For a moment in time, Amon's heart began beating faster, his own coal black eyes filling with tears. "Robin." She gasped as she was pulled up by his strong hands, right into his soft lips.

Robin felt her lungs clearing and her body relaxing. _Such affections…Amon…_ Behind him, she saw the fire climbing down the stairs, and suddenly, she felt a push on her chest, sending her backwards into the well. Her foot missed the platform, and down she plummeted. She reached her hand up, watching Amon become smaller as she fell. He pushed a button, and the top began closing. His last words to her… "When I see you again…" Robin knew these last words. The words he whispered to her once before. He was making the same sacrifice. "AMON!" Robin's cries were stifled by a large rumble and a heart stopping explosion. Into the darkness she fell, not able to grab anything. No one to hold onto. Nothing but darkness. "Am…on…" The long fall slowly took away her consciousness, leaving her quiet.

The sound of rushing water slowly coaxed the young witch from her slumber. She sat up, looking around to see the underground flow that Amon had explained to her. Silently, she stood and stared. Should she go? Should she stay? _Amon's not coming…Is he?_ Robin wiped her eyes, remembering the instructions he left her. "I'm not going to stay here. I must go…" And off she took, the clack of her boots and the sounds of her breathing echoed through the tunnel. The running seemed to go on forever, until she came upon the very ladder she was told of. Carefully, she found her footing and climbed up, keeping her eyes up, staring directly into the darkness. Reaching her hand up, she felt the small cover move, opening her to the night.

Quickly, she moved to the sidewalk, closing the cover and looking around. "I don't recognize this part of Japan…Where am I?" She then remembered the note. Reaching into her hair, she took out a small slip of paper, reading it. _105 Moritomi Street. Go all the way down until you come upon an old castle. That address is on the gate. Just set fire to the gate. It will open for you_. Robin's tired eyes read the directions, turning the paper over to see more. _You must continue living a life. Your burdens and you gifts are something you cannot throw away. And one last thing. Forget about me. Everything. You will never see me again. Goodbye, Amon_ Robin stared down at the note in silence. "Forget about you." Her eyes squinted and the note flew up in flames, the ashes carried away in the night's breeze. "I can't do that Amon…but I will continue living. Continue with what I have. My burdens and my gifts, but still…I can't give up on you…"

The streets were quiet and Robin's only guide was the light from the moon and the stars. The buildings seemed endless. Everything was new and scary. Robin was so used to having someone by her side, that she forgot what loneliness felt like. She seemed like a lost child in this city. After wandering around for what felt like forever, Robin came upon a tall gate made of a shining gold material. Her eyes looked up, seeing a large grey castle standing proudly before her. "Such an amazing sight…What could be in there?" She touched the bars of the gate, staring straight ahead. "Why would Amon send me here?" _Just set fire to the gate. It will open for you _"I must then…" Robin narrowed her eyes, sparking a flame that hit the gate, and moved into each curve and bar. After a few moments, the fire disappeared.

"What? How?" Robin wondered in surprise but was interrupted when the gate swung itself open. Robin stood wide eyed considering her options. Eventually, she made up her mind. _Amon directed me here, therefore I shall go._ She walked up the cobblestone path, her eyes staying straight with the large wooden doors that had come into view. Each step was its own hell on her feet and her injured body. The pain was easier to ignore in the sewers, but with each passing moment it became worse. By the time Robin reached the sturdy doors in front of her, she was on her knees. Her hand gingerly moved its way up to an intercom. "Yes?" A voice questioned. "I…I came here to…" Robin moaned these words silently before slumping against the door, losing all her strength. "Hello? Hello?" The voice over the intercom repeated. Moments later the door was opened, a pair of arms catching the unconscious female in them. "So this is Fire."

The morning birds chirped a cheerful song as the sun rose into the blue sky. The sound of footsteps on the dark red carpet was the only sound made in the quiet castle as they made their way towards a room at the end of the hall. The black tennis shoes stopped in front of the door, pushing it open quietly, the person cringing at the sound of the creak. "Geez. I don't want to wake her like that." The door was shut, and the footsteps made their way to the bed where Robin had been resting. "Time to wake up Fire. Let's go," the voice sang merrily as the blinds that shielded the room from light were flung to the end of the rack, causing the suns bright rays to shine in. Robin slowly opened her eyes, rubbing her forehead from the throbbing headache she has. Her body slid slightly as someone sat on the end of the bed. "Welcome Fire," the kind voice whispered. Robin rubbed her eyes as she began to look at the face behind the voice, unable to see because of her blurry vision. "I welcome you to the STEA-L." _STEA-L?_


	2. Chapter 2:New Beginnings

Author's Note: Thank you to those who have reviewed the story. Chapter two is probably the kickoff of the story. Maybe we'll find out what happens to Amon. Who knows?

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Chapter Two: New Beginnings

Robin was in a state of confusion. What was STEA-L and why did Amon send her here? What made matters worse was that without her glasses she could barely see anything at all anymore. "Hello? Are you alright? Why aren't you answering? You aren't mute," the unfamiliar voice spoke. "Who are you?" "Oh. You probably can't see without these. You've been pretty careless Fire," the kind voice replied, ignoring her question. Robin felt two hands around her face, putting a pair of glasses over her eyes as the view of the room around her became clear. "That should help for now." Robin finally found the man sitting in front of her. He had a very pleasant smile and his eyes matched his long green shirt. His long brown hair brushed his shoulders, looking as though it had been tussled by the wind. "You can see me now right?"

All Robin could do was nod. She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't recognize this young man at all, but he looked very kind. "Yes…I can see better now," she whispered, readjusting the glasses for a perfect fit. "And to answer your earlier question, my name is Kaze Suzu, and I hope I didn't make a bad impression," he laughed merrily as he shook her hand vigorously. Robin stayed quiet, just watching him smile happily. "I bet you're wondering about all of this, and you should. That's what I'm here for. I'll be your guide for now, so let's get moving!" Suzu jumped from the bed, hurrying to the door. As he walked, Robin noticed a small keychain attached to the loop of his worn black jeans. _A leaf? What is that? Some sort of symbol? _Robin remained frozen as the cheerful boy left the room. "This is strange, but if Amon sent me here, then I must go along." Robin made up her mind, following Suzu down the hall.

The walls were decorated with portraits and paintings of very regal looking men and women. Robin gazed in awe at the quality of the building. "Almost there," Suzu called behind to her as they reached an elevator. "The next room should seem familiar to you." Robin watched her feet quietly as the elevator moved up, never once looking or speaking to Suzu. After they were jolted to a stop, the doors swung open to a place that looked almost exactly like the STN-J's headquarters. The only difference was the most important one…the people. "Wow," she whispered. "Yeah. Come on, you should meet the others." Suzu stepped forward to the station of computers, looking over the monitor to see a young boy typing rapidly. "Finally. How long does it take you to wake someone up?" "Relax Chris. It's not like she's feeling all that well. Come on, just smile about it." "That's not something I do." Robin heard the young voice but saw no one, so she curiously stood beside Suzu, leaning over to see who was speaking. "It took you long enough to find us," he remarked.

Looking over, Robin saw a boy who had to be at least four years younger than her. His hair was short and blonde, his eyes were a beautiful hazel, yet they held a cold gaze. He wore a yellow jacket covering most of his body. He propped his feet up, showing off his black jeans and yellow shoes. _He looks like a regular school boy. What could he be doing in a place like this? _"You can stop staring at me now. It's annoying." Robin blinked, quickly apologizing as the boy lowered his brow. "So, this is the great fire witch Robin?" "Yes…I am Robin…if I may ask your name…" "My name is Hollington Christopher." "We call him Chris though," Suzu added as he ruffled the boy's sandy locks. "I really don't care. Just as long as you get your work done and leave me to mine." He returned to his work when the computer beeped. "Hm." He turned his attention back to the screen, his eyes darting as he read. "Something wrong?" "Yeah. I can't find any trace of Darkness on here." Robin listened in confusion. "Darkness?" "Don't worry about that now Robin. I should show you the rest of the team," Suzu said urgently, pulling Robin away.

The two walked around to the other computers where Robin met a few others. There was Samuke Kan, a cheerful and intelligent young lady with long light blonde hair and pale blue eyes. The one person that shocked her was who she met next. He stood as she came by, his gaze seeming cold yet oddly comforting. "And this is one of our best. Odaki Taki." His blue eyes pierced hers, looking through her immediately. "You are nervous about something?" He asked in a deep voice. Robin looked him over. He had black hair framing his face with blue highlights in various places. He wore a dark blue shirt, and the rest of his outfit was black, but that wasn't what made her stare. His face. He looked so much like… _Amon…_Suzu looked back and forth as they stared at each other. "I think that's enough," he said as he hastily pushed Robin away. "Anyway. You are still confused I'm sure. Now is the time to explain." Suzu looked around for a chair, catching one that was kicked over by Chris. After Robin took a seat, she looked around at all of them as they continued their work. "Let's start with the name STEA-L."

"STEA-L stands for Special Team of Elemental Arcanas Library. You see, we are quite similar to the STN-J you once worked for. The only difference is that we're all witches." "You are?" "Yes. We each have a special ability from an element just like you with fire. I have power over wind, Chris has power over light, Kan has power over ice, and Taki has power over water. There was another, but we have lost contact with him. He had power over darkness, but sadly, he never got around to discovering it. This castle is home to several books containing information about witches and several other beings that we have had to hunt. We knew of your existence, but were unable to find you until you came to our doorstep," Suzu explained quickly. "Can I ask you something?" Robin interrupted. "Of course!" "What was the name of the person who should be able to control darkness?" "His name…It's kind of hard to remember. I never knew him personally…The others might know…"

Robin looked over at them desperately, her eyes begging for an answer. Chris turned away, sighing quietly. Kan looked down quietly, shaking her head slowly. Taki was the only one to speak. "His name was Amon, but he abandoned us before we could even get to know him. He was such a jerk." Robin stood in shock hearing the name she knew so well. "You know Amon!" "Of course I do, but I don't care anymore and neither should you." Taki's voice was dark and very angered. "I'm glad he's dead!" "Dead…" Robin was taken aback by his fierce statement, causing a reaction from Suzu. "We don't know that for sure. He could have lost his tracking device. That's all…" "Who cares? He won't come back here." Once again, another blow was dealt to Robin's fragile heart. This time, Kan spoke up. "Oh come on. You're just jealous because he was so much better than you. You know it and we all do," she said in a very sarcastic voice as she walked over to Robin. "Hee. Don't worry about it. I have a feeling you and him have a very interesting relationship. You look really worried." "I…" "Don't worry. We might stumble upon him again someday. Just keep hoping," she cheered. Suddenly, Robin felt a bit better. At least someone was on her side.

As Suzu and Kan talked to her a bit more, the elevator stopped, opening its large doors so another could enter. "Everyone, look alive. I have work for you." Robin looked up to see a very striking older woman with long black hair and clothes approach them. "That is Karama Suzuki. She's our boss," Suzu explained in a whispered tone. "Well well, it looks like Fire has finally awakened." "Why do you all keep calling me Fire?" Robin asked in slight frustration. "It's a code name." "We have no time for chatter. It seems that a bunch of undead witches have been attacking workers who have tried to clean up the recently destroyed factory. Light, can you fill in Fire before she leaves?" Before anyone could respond, the mystery woman had walked out. "Sorry about that. Boss can be in kind of a rush…" "That's alright, but I would like a bit more clarification if you could..." "You guys go ahead and I'll give her the explanation," Chris mumbled as he waved his hands towards the others. He waited until they were gone before he began.

"The missions are executed as such. Everyone is paired up and goes to the destination from a different angle. We only use our powers. We have never used orbo and we never will. I'm sure you can understand that." Robin nodded silently, continuing to listen. "I contact you through this," he said as he slid an earpiece across the table. "I have the scale of the building you will be in on my computer, and I can give you tips and warnings. You can also communicate with other members through it. You must only look out for your partner and yourself. If someone else is injured, leave it to their partner unless it is an emergency. The job comes first. Lastly, be careful while using your arcana abilities. They can become out of hand, especially with one such as yours." "I think I understand," Robin answered as she eased the earpiece into place. "I just need to know who I'm partnered up with." "I think we should put you with someone more experienced. Taki will be the best choice for you. You'd better hurry." "Yes," Robin called as she ran to the elevator. Chris quickly typed something, waiting for a screen to pop up. "Water." "Yeah?" "I'm putting Fire under your command for now. Think you can handle it?" "Of course."

Robin shielded her eyes as the sunlight beamed down on her. The day was bright, yet it seemed so gloomy to her. Everything was moving so quickly, and it seemed she was right where she started. Hunting witches. She stopped in front of the street as a black car pulled up. The window lowered and Taki looked out at her. "Looks like I'm stuck with you. Let's get this over with." Robin silently slid into the car, not saying a word to him. Every now and again, she would look at him, admiring his features. She couldn't help herself. The hair, the cold gaze, the voice. It was just like Amon's, but something between them was different. Even if Amon had a look of dislike or annoyance towards Robin, there was something more in his eyes. Robin missed those eyes. She missed everything they held. "Why do you keep staring at me?" Robin had been in such deep thought that she began to stare with longing at Taki without realizing. "It's…it's nothing…"

Taki watched Robin turn away, her sad gaze watching the world go by. "Why do you care so much about him? What could he have done for you? He's all about himself." This subject was something that Robin wouldn't keep quiet about. "He saved me several times and treated me differently then a lot of other people did…Amon was a very great man even if you don't think so." Robin was surprised to see Taki give her a half smile. "Amon and I…we're closer than you think." "You are? What do you mean?" "I'll…tell you some other time, but now…" The car jolted to a stop as they came upon the desolate building that stood before them. "We have a mission." The mysterious man's eyes flashed with sudden exhilaration as though he knew something deep inside the walls was waiting for them. As Robin joined him, their earpieces rang. "Hey you two, can you hear me?" A young voice called through the piece. "We're here Light. What do you have for us?" Robin listened intently as the young boy gave them an idea of what to expect. "The witches shouldn't be too much. Try to take care of them quickly. They are being controlled by something. See if you can get a sample of the blood for me. Kill the rest."

Robin felt her stomach churn. _Kill _Killing should always be a last resort, but to the STEA it seemed second nature. "Why do we have to kill them?" Taki grumbled, turning to Robin. "Listen. I don't know what the STN taught you, but here things are a little bit different. These witches aren't all nice normal people like you've heard." While Taki scolded her, Robin felt a cold tingle down her spine. It felt as though she was being watched from all over. Suddenly, a pair of glowing eyes darted from the darkness around them, reaching for Taki's open shoulder. "Look out!" Robin warned as her eyes narrowed causing flames to shoot out at the creature just in time. Taki watched behind his shoulder as the ashes dropped to the ground in a heap. Robin gasped, realizing how quickly she reacted. _Why did I do that? I was so quick to jump to his rescue…_Robin was shaken from her thought with a finger snapping in front of her face. "Thank you, but try to control your fire. You realize how close to my shoulder that was. Let's not do that again," Taki ordered as he turned and began walking into the broken down facility.

What was it about him? Robin was becoming frustrated with this reoccurring feeling she had about Taki. "HURRY UP ROBIN!" His low voice called as the crashing of waves came into play. The young girl stumbled into the building, seeing several disfigured beings crawling forth, only to be washed away in the mighty waves of Taki. His hand motions were intense, never giving the slightest flinch when a howling creature flew at him. As soon as the door slammed, their attention turned to Robin. Her heart pounded out of her chest as she darted her eyes around, flaming anything that came at her. _Why am I doing this? Their fate should not be such…_These zombie like creatures were once human, or seemed to be. Punishment because of something special they have is hardly fair. Robin gasped as she felt a knick at her foot, looking down to see a smaller figure clawing at her. She jumped back, dodging the desperate attempts of the moaning child. "Hurry Robin!" Taki called through his own mess of undead. "But this is only a child," Robin hollered back to him as she turned the last ones surrounding her into ash, only leaving the small one that was still trying to gnaw at her boots. "I can't hurt a child! It's wrong! There has to be some way…"

Taki had finished his group, rushing towards the young undead with his hand raised, water ready. "Robin, I told you already! You can't be sensitive to the dead! You can't think of that thing as a person! She's dead like the rest! She's dead like Amon! She isn't coming back to live a normal life, and neither is he!" This was the spark that made the fire wild. "HOW DARE YOU! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!" Robin held her head to block out the cruel words he spoke, her eyes glowing red in anger. Before she knew what she was doing, flames had surrounded her partner, burning a hole right through the floor. The thin rimmed glasses dropped to the floor as the room spun around Robin. _This feeling…it's like I'm on fire…_ She heard the disappearing call of her partner as he fell into the deep passage she had created. _I'm losing control of myself… _Her body was burning with deep hatred and pain. She needed someone to help her. She couldn't stop herself.

She was brought back to her sanity with a sharp sting on her ankle as the young zombie bit through her pale flesh, drawing thick blood. Robin riled in pain, stumbling backwards as the teeth ripped away from her skin. "Such a young girl…" She sat on the floor, holding her ankle as she stared deep into the eyes of this child. They were pitch black filled with nothing but a lust for blood. "No. You are still a child. You don't want to hurt me do you…?" Robin reached her hand out, only to pull it back with curving thrash marks along it. After a few more attempts, Robin could barely move. She crawled along the floor as the drooling monster continued after her. "I can't kill you…even if you hurt me. Even if you kill me. You're still like me, and that's why." The low growl coming from the undead witch startled her, causing her to accidentally send a spark at her enemy, burning the rotting flesh on its arm. The screech of pain sent further panic into the wounded witch, her energy draining out along with the blood from hers wounds. _It's hard to see…the fire won't come to me…It's ove…_

Robin's thoughts of despair were interrupted when she heard a loud crash. The large window before her shattered, glass flying every which way. Robin shielded herself as the shards fell around her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the young monster still grabbing at her, but her attention turned up. As Robin uncovered herself, a round of shots rang out, sending the undead witch to the floor. "NO!" Robin cried as she watched the childlike creature squirm for a few moments, finally stopping in silence. Strangely, a neon green liquid caught Robin's eye as it exited the dead body. Upon closer looking, she found it to be... "Orbo…" How was that possible! No one in the STEA would use orbo…but what about the STN? "Whoever you are, come out!" Robin said through tears. "Explain to me why you killed this child! COME OUT!"

She turned as a boot kicked some glass away from the window. She could only see the outline of the person in the black clothes before her, but she could tell immediately. "Amon…" _Is it really you? You didn't die?_ "It is you…" Her blue eyes twinkled with hope as he jumped down, landing a few feet away from her. He looked the same. His hair was still around his expressionless face, his eyes dark and distant. As he came upon her, he knelt, reaching for her earpiece. "ROBIN! ROBIN! What's going on? I heard a gunshot!" A worried Chris on the other end called. Carefully, Amon removed the earpiece from Robin's ear, speaking into it clearly. "I'll be taking care of Robin from here. You'll get her back later." "Amon! What are you do…?" Before Chris could finish, the earpiece was crushed between Amon's gloved fingers, then dropped to the ground.

Before Amon could speak to Robin, he was interrupted when she pressed herself tightly against him, holding him as if her life depended on it. "Are you alright?" She spoke into his chest quietly. "I'm fine, but that is beside the point. How have you been?" Robin smiled to herself, glad that he was concerned. "I did what you told me to and now I'm working for the STEA-L, but why aren't you?" Amon looked down at Robin, his eyes seeming…sad. "I have my reasons, but I want you to know that everyone back at the STN-J headquarters is alive…They were here but I'm sure they aren't anymore." "Can't I come back with you?" The young girl asked, clinging tighter to the one she could not stand being parted with. "No. It's better for you this way. They can teach you far more than anyone at headquarters. It's safer for you here anyway." _Even if it is safer…I don't want to be away from you Amon…I need you… _A revving sound was heard, and Amon looked around. "I have to go. Be sure to get that wound looked at. Goodb…" "Please don't!" Amon's eyes widened as Robin looked him directly in the eye, leaning closer. "I can't continue without you…"

They were silent for a moment, Robin staring deep into his eyes, praying he wouldn't leave her again. "You are going to have to. I'm putting you at risk by even being here," He said in a quiet voice as he rose to his feet. "I told you to forget about me and I meant what I said." Amon turned his back to her, walking towards the window he came through. He stopped when he heard the small pair of footsteps shuffling behind him. He sighed, turning to see her following him. "I'm not going to try to convince you to come back, and I know you won't tell me why you won't stay…but I want to tell you that I'm still going to believe in you…" Robin felt her flush returned and she looked down in shame. "You're still a friend to me and I still…" She trailed off, unable to find her words. She was forced to look up at him when he turned her head up. "I know." "There's so much I want to tell you," Robin began again. "I also have many things to tell you, but not now. All I can say is continue. Nothing more."

For a moment, Amon drew his face closer to Robin's, looking deep into her gleaming eyes. Just looking into those coal black eyes built a fire deep down in Robin's heart. She found herself breathing out loud, and suddenly she pressed her lips to his. She was still unsure of why she did such a thing, but she needed to touch him. She needed to know he was still there. She pulled away, looking at his surprised expression before he calmed down, speaking to her. "If that is what you need to survive, then remember it. Remember how it felt to you. How you crave more each and every time you feel me. See me. Maybe if you do that, then our paths might cross again." Robin stared straight ahead as the sound of glass being crushed became faint. He was gone.

There was nothing left. Just silence. Robin kneeled on the ground, gathering her emotions together as her heart's beat returned to normal. She was startled when she heard the slow moving of a wave. As she turned, she saw her forgotten partner rising on a small wave back to the floor. Once he landed he looked at her, his eyes filled with hurt. No anger was in them. Just hurt. "Yeah I found her Light. We're done. Alright. We'll see you back there. Bye." Taki finished speaking in his earpiece. He began walking past Robin, a slight limp in his walk. He stopped when they were side by side, taking a staggering breath before he talked to her. "Don't go after him anymore. He's not worth the trouble. I can give you something that he can't…I can protect you." Robin gasped silently as she turned to see her partner continue hobbling away. _I am not quite sure what he means, but I should trust him a little more. He got injured when I lost control. I owe him._ Robin hurried to his side, putting his arm around her shoulder to better support him. When he glanced over at her, she just smiled slightly. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like he smiled back.

"This is a pretty nasty wound, but thanks to you, we got a pretty big sample from that witch," Chris explained as sat beside Robin on a small cot in the infirmary. "Taki said you did pretty well for your first mission. How are you feeling about it?" "I'm still a bit sore but it's nothing a good rest can't fix…" Robin tried to put on a brave face to hide the deep thinking she'd been doing. Others might not have noticed, but Chris was smarter than most. "I suppose you're thinking about Amon…Well we have files on him too. If you need to know anything, come find me. I'm sure I can help you." "Really? You would do that?" Chris smiled as he reached into his pocket to put on a pair of glasses. "It's all in the job. Now let's get you to your room."

"You'll probably be off duty tomorrow due to that injury on your ankle so you can get as much sleep as you need. You will be working with me tomorrow." Robin nodded, feeling a bit better. She was glad to get to know Chris, and was even more glad that he was a lot friendlier than he comes off. "Well get some rest…and one more thing," Chris turned as he was about to shut the door. "Don't break anymore of those earpieces. They take a lot of material to build." Robin laughed to herself as the door shut, leaving her alone. "I have to find out more. There's so many secrets…" She spread herself out along the large bed, breathing in the scent of the newly cleaned sheets. "I want to know what's going on…Why Amon and Taki look so similar…The connections between STEA and STN. Everything." She then remembered Amon's words._ I also have many things to tell you, but not now. All I can say is continue. _"There are some things I will figure out by staying here, but others things… _Amon. _I will wait for…I just have to use this new beginning to my advantage." _There is so much for me to find out. I will eventually. For now, I can only continue_

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Wow this chapter took a lot of time! I hope you liked it. Oh and…

means the name is typical Japanese style( last name, first name)


	3. Chapter 3:Secrets

Chapter Three: Secrets

Robin slept well that night, waking up before her alarm. She stretched, sighing contently as she went to her dresser, finding a note with a bag. _Dear Robin, I saw there was some blood on your clothes from yesterday, so I took them! Until then, there's another outfit in there for you, and another surprise._ Robin stopped reading, reaching curiously into the bag and pulling out a dark red, almost maroon shirt and a pair of dark pants and shoes. Digging deeper into the bottom of the bag, she pulled out a chain with a charm of red fire attached at the end. She just smiled to herself, resting it on the wooden table, finishing up the note. _I hope you and Chris have fun today! Thanks for your help yesterday. We couldn't have done it without you! Signed, Kan."_

Robin smiled slightly, happy for the praise given to her. She bunched her clothes together, looking around the room. She noticed another door, and upon opening it, discovered a bathroom. "I need a shower," she said plainly, looking at herself in the mirror while pulling the ribbons out of her hair, causing her the soft strands to fall around her face. She turned the water on, waiting in a towel for it to heat when there was a knock on her door. She listened to it for a few moments, deciding to open it. _It's probably Kan._ Hurrying to the door, she stopped after a deep voice called to her. "Robin! Open up!" _Taki…_Robin pressed her back against the door, her bare shoulders feeling the smooth wood against them. "I don't know if I can speak to him yet…Yesterday was…" She remembered her conversation with Amon and how jealous Taki reacted after he heard about it. What should she do? Quietly, she listened once he called to her again. "I'm sorry okay…about yesterday. I'm sorry!" His footsteps started down the hall slowly, and Robin felt she HAD to follow him. Forgetting what she was wearing, she flung the door open and called out to him.

Once he turned, his face immediately flushed beat red and his blue eyes hit the floor. Robin cocked her head in confusion, looking down at herself wrapped tightly in a towel, her breasts pushing together sensually. "I'm sorry," she whispered, hoping not to wake anyone else as she pulled up the towel, only making it worse. Taki covered his eyes, cracking his fingers apart slightly so he could gaze at her pale body. He watched her adjust, only pushing her lovely breasts up further. He'd never seen her body so well framed. She was breathtaking. "No…I should be the one apologizing…For yesterday I mean." He blushed, scratching the back of his dark locks. "I was out of line. I shouldn't have said the things I did." His blushed burned darker as she gave him a quiet smile. "Thank you, and it's alright. Just seeing him yesterday made me feel stronger. I know I'll be fine." "Oh. So you still…" Taki stopped in mid sentence, not wanting to say the rest. "Yes I do." Robin turned her gaze down, noticing his feet shuffling closer.

Before she knew it, he was pinning her against the wall, looking deeply into her eyes. "What are you doing?" She gasped in surprise, trying to squirm as he held fast to her wrists, keeping them against the wall. "I don't know. There's just something about you I can't resist…Maybe it's because of Amon…or maybe it's just because of me…either way…" His voice trailed off as his lips pressed into hers. She tried to speak, but his hard press muted her words. She couldn't get away from him. He was much stronger. _Why is he doing this?_ Her eyes shut tightly as she felt his chest pressing into hers tightly. Once his lips lowered to her neck, she spoke. "Stop it!" She began to push off the wall, pushing him back as well. "How dare you!" She cried, feelings tears heating her eyes. "Robin…" He began, but never got to finish. She hurried back into her room, slamming the door and locking it.

She sat on her bed, thinking silently. The sound of the shower calmed her slightly, but she still felt terrible. Lying down, she took a deep breath. _Why couldn't I stop him…_ "Was I betraying Amon?" She wondered aloud, feeling the warm tears falling into her sheets. "Robin." Her blue green eyes widened as the deep voice whispered to her. It was just like Taki's, sending her a fearful chill across her body. She closed her eyes tightly, shaking her head. "Go away." She thought she heard footsteps, but ignored them, keeping her eyes shut tightly. "That's odd. First wanting to see me, and now telling me to leave. You are strange…" Robin felt a gloved hand move her hair away from her face, uncovering her tears. Her sad eyes slid open slightly to a different surprise. "Amon…What are you…" She sat up quickly, ashamed that he'd seen her crying like that. He just watched her rub her eyes, listening to her sniffling quietly. "Why are you crying?" He asked nonchalantly. "It's just someone…I don't know."

Amon sat beside her, watching her wipe her face. "Why did you come here?" Robin asked, trying to take attention away from her tears. "Why else?" He questioned plainly, hiding any hint of emotion in his voice. "You said I was the reason you were going to continue…" Robin was glad to know he cared about her, even if it's not what he said. She felt relieved that he was around. "It was Taki, wasn't it?" Robin was surprised he knew, but didn't bother denying it. She just rested her head on his soft shoulder, nodding slightly. "He kissed me. I don't understand why he would do something like kiss me. It doesn't make sense…" "He kissed you," Amon repeated in a lower voice. Robin looked over at him out of the corner of her eye to see a dark frown on his face. _Is he jealous?_ "That doesn't seem like the Taki I knew…He's probably vulnerable. Just another stupid way for someone to apologize." Robin thought deeply. There was something different. He seemed to know what he was doing.

Robin bit her lip to think, only to cause tears to drop as she stopped immediately, pain shooting through her lip. Reaching up, she discovered a bruise on her lip from the hard press of Taki's. Amon must have noticed because he turned her head towards him, taking off one of his gloves before studying the bruise with his fingertips. "No one who was unsure would be so overpowering. You need to watch out for him. He's very different then what you expect him to be." The two sat in silence for a few moments before Robin smiled slightly, her eyes shining. "Why are you telling me all of this?" Amon kept his quiet, clenching his teeth tightly. "Amon?" "Don't make me say it…" Robin was surprised to find a small blush tracing his face as his dark hair covered his cheeks once again. Robin needed to press him further. _What won't he say? Why? _She quietly moved off the bed, turning to face him. "Why not?" She questioned innocently as she moved closer, her hands resting on his shoulders, playing with the fabric as she hoped for an answer. "Because…" Their weight shifted, and Amon was pinned.

Robin glanced into his dark eyes before speaking. "You can't tell me just that…please…" Their lips drew closer; Amon's brushing against Robin's as he explained. "Don't make me say I care about you…" "Why?" Robin repeated her question, shutting her eyes, sighing as she felt Amon's gentle hand swimming through her wavy locks as he switched their positions. "Because then I have to keep coming back," he murmured as their lips came together slowly. Robin winced slightly as the bruise was pressed upon, but relaxed as Amon's kisses became lighter. He knew of her pain. He always did. Amon broke the kiss as his lips ran across the spots on her neck, finding a spot he liked and paying extra attention to it. "Why don't you want to come back?" Robin moaned quietly as he bit her flesh gently, his tongue tracing the spot after he'd done so. "If I come back, then things will change. Things between us will change…" Squirming out of her tight grip, Amon stood silently. "So you aren't coming back?" Robin questioned in confusion as she stood before him. All he did to answer was put two fingers to the spot on her neck that he had kissed. "Keep this," he ordered before turning his back to her and walking towards the window.

Robin watched him as she rubbed her neck to feel a small bump on her soft skin. i A love bite? /i "I don't understand. What does that mean? You haven't answered the question Amon!" Amon stopped right as he was about to jump out the window. "I told you to keep that bite. I'll have to come back if you want to keep it, won't I?" His eyes locked with hers and she swallowed deeply as his gaze pierced hers. "You will," she agreed, dropping her hand. "Take care Robin, and watch out for Taki…He's not who you think he is." Robin watched as he jumped from the window, his black jacket flying against the wind until he was out of sight. She hurriedly closed the window, thinking. _Taki isn't who I think he is? Is he up to something? Is this about his connection with Amon? _After a few more moments of thought, Robin decided to stop worrying about it for now and enjoy her shower.

"Ah! Here she comes!" Chris stood as he saw Robin coming up in the elevator, hair still wet and at her shoulders. Kan who was also in the room smiled and waved to Robin who walked over to her. "How are you feeling Robin? Any better?" Robin smiled reassuringly and nodded. "Yes. Thank you very much for the change of clothes and the keychain." "No problem. I just hope you got enough sleep," Kan said as she offered Robin a cup of steamy coffee, which she gladly accepted. She needed the boost. "I did…" Robin stopped talking once she noticed Taki sitting at his usual station. She swallowed quietly and turned away, her hair twirling with her. "Wait…" Kan caught a strand of Robin's red hair, lifting it higher. "Oh my. Who is this from?" Robin pulled back quickly, combing her hair back into place with her fingers. "It's…" Before she could respond, Kan had put her fingers on her lip, gasping in surprise. "And this!" Robin hurried Kan away from the others before talking to her. "The bruise is from Taki and the love bite is from Amon!"

Kan scratched her head in confusion. "Sorry, but that doesn't sound like Taki. He's never taken interest in a woman before." Robin brushed her hand along her forehead nervously. "Maybe he's different. I don't know but he was trying things with me." "Alright. Don't worry about it. He's probably anxious about things. I'm sure you'll be fine. You're spending today with Chris, and he'll be out by himself for awhile." "By himself?" "Yeah. You're his partner, but you aren't going to be with him on the mission. I always work with Suzu." Kan noticed the worried expression in Robin's eyes, and she tried to turn her mind on other things. "At least you got something from Amon." This made the young girl giggle slightly, bowing. "Thank you Kan." "No problem! And I won't tell anyone. It's one female to another." The two continued to talk until Chris called everyone over. "Alright guys. Ready for your mission?" As he explained, Robin had lost herself in thoughts of what was being said of Taki. First she was told to watch out for him, and now she was being told he was a harmless guy. She had seen both sides…but which one should she believe?

She snapped to attention as the thump of sneakers hit the ground. "We'd better be off then," Suzu said cheerfully as he waved to Robin and Chris. "Good luck!" She called out to them in encouragement. After they left, she turned to Chris. "Will they be alright?" "Of course. This mission is pretty easy. I don't need to contact them so we can look up the stuff you were after." Robin had almost forgotten about that! "So what do you want to know?" Chris asked as he spun around in his chair. "I want to know about Taki and Amon…" Chris put his foot down to stop himself. "You do?" "Yes. Is that bad?" "Well…It's very complex…Not even I know about that kind of stuff. We're going to have to do a lot of hacking. That's all I can tell you." Robin anxiously pulled up a chair as Chris typed away, his eyes catching every detail on the page. "Hm. We do have files on Amon and Taki, but it seems that they weren't around during the same time. Amon was here much earlier…but Taki came around after Amon had left."

The two sat, trying to think of why. "It is possible that they are related…" "No," Robin retorted with a shake of the head. "I've met Amon's brother. Even if Amon wouldn't have said anything, his brother would have." "Guess that's ruled out," Chris thought aloud as he twirled a pen between his fingers. "There has to be something we're missing then…" Robin ran her fingers through her hair in frustration as she dug deep into her mind, trying to find anything. Chris had gone back to the computer, looking through the files. "Hm…Taki was sent here by Zaizen…It was his request to have Taki here…" "Zaizen." Robin cringed at the very thought of the evil man. "Does it go into anymore detail?" "Sadly, no. It doesn't, but I bet we'll have a lead from here." As Chris continued to occupy himself with research, Robin slid over to another computer to do some checking herself. She came upon a page that seemed to contain Zaizen's research, but the only way to get in was a password. _Password…_

Robin typed in several names and dates but came up with nothing. _Come on…there has to be something _After staring at the keys for a moment, she smiled to herself and typed in the word "witch" and the screen clicked into a new file. Robin read for a long time. The research was endless, but she was only interested in one thing. _Amon and Taki…_ The search seemed hopeless, and after awhile, Chris just gave up. "I'm getting hungry. I'm gonna go make something. You want anything?" "No. I'm fine," she answered, still deep in research. Chris just smiled to himself as he walked towards the elevator, stretched as it went down. _I bet she'll find something._

Robin eventually pulled he eyes away from the screen, rubbing them from the pain they felt. "There's so much to read, but I can't find anything about either of the two…" She jumped as she heard Chris reentering quickly. "Heads up! They're coming!" He flew into his chair, saving any important files he had discovered before exiting them. Robin did the same just in time, for moments later, the three exhausted recruits came up. "How did it go?" Robin asked coolly. "It was pretty easy," Suzu replied with a smile as he put down some of his gear on a desk. "I'm gonna get some rest!" As he journeyed off, Taki came closer to Robin, sitting beside her desk. "Did you do anything interesting today? Look up anything good while we were gone?" Robin straightened up, uncomfortable from his eyes on her. "Nothing really. Just resting my ankle." "I see," Taki said, dragging on the sentence as though he still wasn't convinced of her story. "Well then I'm sure you're tired. How about I escort you to your room?" Kan and Chris looked up at each other in a certain alarm. Taki was never like this towards any of his allies. What made Robin so different?

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Robin protested as she rose, ignoring the shooting pain in her ankle. "Come on! Don't be so headstrong!" Taki replied as he lifted her off her feet, causing a stir among the others. "Be careful with her Taki, she's a woman, not a rag doll," Kan scolded as Taki carried the helpless girl towards the elevator. "I told you not to worry about it! She's fine!" Before Kan could argue, Taki had pressed a button and they were gone. "Are you suspicious of his motives now?" Chris questioned with a smug look on his face as he rested his hand on his cheek. "I don't know. This is all messed up. I just can't think about it right now," she grumbled back as she put her head down. _ I just hope Robin isn't in any danger..._

"Why are you doing this?" She demanded as Taki walked down the familiar hallway. "Just shut up and enjoy the ride." Robin frowned, trying with all her might to squeeze out of his arms, but as before, she couldn't. He was too strong. Soon enough, her room was reached and he tossed her on the bed, shutting the door behind him. "As long as you're here, can I ask you something?" Robin huffed as she sat upright, brushing herself off. "What is your relationship with Amon? No one will tell me and I have barely found anything. I am tired of this! Give me a straight answer!" She became uneasy as the smiling man joined her on the bed. "All I can say is this dear Robin," he began, his fingers beginning to touch her light locks. "Amon and I are very different, yet without him, I would not be here." _What does that mean?_ "Even though we aren't as similar as many would think, we do share something…" Robin gasped as his weight moved over hers, stopping her protests by twisting her injured ankle between his.

All she could do was gaze up into his dark blue eyes, hating them more each time she saw them. "We share…" Taki's smile changed as his hand brushed her hair back, revealing the love bite on her neck. "What do you share!" Robin yelled angrily as his right hand trapped hers together while the other played with the bruise on her lower lip. "We share the desire for you dear Robin." _Desire for me?_ Before she could demand anymore answers, his lips crashed upon hers, muffling any sound she made. Robin's strength was gone. The constant pain in her ankle had drawn all her energy away, and Taki was in complete control. She relentlessly tried moving away, wishing each moment that Amon would come through the window to assist her at her vulnerable time. Her head was throbbing, thoughts rushing through her head, but the one thing that stuck the most was what he said to her. _We share the desire for you. Desire for me? They both desire me? These secrets…there are so many…How can I find the answer? How? _


	4. Chapter 4:Danger

Chapter Four: New Danger

Taki was a very passionate man, never giving her anything less than himself, and she hated each bit of that. _I have to…_For a moment, Taki moved his lips away from hers, letting her breathe. "Maybe someday I'll tell you, but then…" He rolled off of her, lying on his back. "You'll owe me a lot." Robin frowned as she tried to move her limp body. _I can barely move…His weight was very intense…_ "Anyway Robin, what do you say? An eye for an eye you know? I scratch your back, you scratch mine," he said with an arrogant smile. Robin turned her head to stare into his dark blue eyes angrily. "What are you planning? What do you want me to do?" "Oh? That means you will humor me?" He questioned happily as he sat up. "Depends on what you are planning…"

Robin watched him intently as Taki stood, looking out the window. "I'm planning something large, amazing…life changing! And you," he exclaimed, turning to Robin, "Are the most important piece in the plan." Robin swallowed as his eyes shined while he spoke. _This plan…What could it be?_ "So what do you say? I can tell you everything you need to know, and you will help me with my plan. Do we have a deal?" "I…" Robin stuttered as he helped her sit up, his hand raising her chin slightly. _Amon warned me not to trust him, but Taki can tell me everything I need to know about Amon and himself…I have no choice…_ "I'll help you." "Wonderful! Now, I shall tell you my pl…" "ROBIN! TAKI! Are you two done yet?" A joyful voice called as Suzu flew into the room with a smile on his face. "Otherwise, lock the door next time," he joked with a laugh.

"Suzu," Robin said in relief, her eyes thanking him as he gave her a reassuring smile. "Anyway, Taki, Chris wants to talk to you. It's really important and you know how serious things can be when Chris is worried!" "Yeah, I'll talk to him now. Later Robin," Taki said with a salute as he pushed past Suzu, shutting the door behind him. "Gee ouch! Could he be any meaner," Suzu said as he rubbed his shoulder and took off his shoes. "I hope he didn't hurt you too much," Robin laughed as Suzu spun around dramatically, landing on the bed. "He didn't, but it's enough to know that he hates me." "He does?" "Yeah, he always has. Ever since I came here," Suzu sighed, crossing his legs and putting his chin on his hand. "Were you two partners?" "Sadly, yes, but I don't want to trouble you with the story…"

He stood, his eyes covered by his long bangs as he headed for the door. "Suzu…please…" Robin begged. _He looks very upset…_ "You're making me worried." There was a moment of silence as Suzu stopped at his shoes, looking back into her eyes. "Damn it Robin!" He hollered as he ran back to the bed, sitting down. "Those puppy dog eyes of yours drive me crazy!" Robin couldn't help but laugh as he said this. "Puppy dog? Really?" _Good! At least I'm making her laugh. She'll forget all about her worries for now._ "Well let's begin with my childhood. I was born in Osaka. My family lived on a farm with lots of cherry trees. The beautiful part of Japan. Have you ever seen cherry trees Robin?" She smiled sweetly as she shook her head. "Are they lovely?" "Yes. Very much so. Anyway, one day when I was about age…seven, I was sitting in one of the tallest trees and that's when it happened," Suzu said with a shake of his head.

Robin, who was now very intrigued looked at him with wide eyes. "What happened?" "I fell silly!" He laughed as he continued. "Anyway, my heart was pounding a mile a minute, and I swear I thought I would die. Suddenly, I felt this immense strength generating from my hand, kinda like…" He looked at her, his forest green eyes shining with inspiration. "Some powerful being was putting their power into my hand. Well, I put it out in front of me, and right before I hit the ground, I began floating in mid air. It was so bizarre, but I thought it was the most amazing thing. After that incident, I would go to those very trees and train myself with wind everyday. That's how I became a wind witch." Robin watched Suzu as he spoke, his expressions beautiful. _He's so happy about it. So positive. _

"I moved to the city of Tokyo so I could go to college, and that's where I met my girlfriend. We were really happy together, but ever since witches began randomly popping up around here, I was worried for her safety, and just my luck, STEA-L sent for me. At that time, there were more people of course. Anyway, since I was the newbie at the time, I got put with the so called "expert" who you can guess is Taki. It was downhill from the beginning." "Downhill?" "Yeah, we didn't agree on methods of completion. The first mission we had was to stop a small girl whose powers had lost control. When we got there, we split up, and I ended up finding her. She looked so helpless…so sad. I tried talking to her, and it seemed to be getting through…" Suzu looked ahead, his eyes looking lost as he stopped. "Did you help her?" "I…I would have…but Taki…he came in and she got scared so she started using magic, and…he ended up killing her…"

Robin gasped as Suzu put his hand on his forehead, the other wiping his eyes. _He murdered a little girl…Just like in the factory…_ "I hated him so much for that! She didn't have to die! She didn't! And the thing that got to me was that her little brother saw the whole thing." "Suzu…" "It's okay. I just get upset when I talk about it, because I can always picture it in my mind. I can still hear her blood curdling screams. Let's not worry about it. It's in the past."

"Can I ask you another question Suzu?" "Of course Robin! Ask me anything." "Why is the STEA-L so large, but there are so few people here?" Suzu's eyes darkened as soon as she finished. Robin noticed and became worried. "Did something happen to the others?" She could feel her stomach churning as the usually cheerful Suzu turned as pale as a sheet. "Suzu please tell me…" They sat in silence for a moment. Robin patiently waited as the nervous young man contemplated his options. _Is she ready for this? Yes or no…_He snapped from his thought when her gentle hand turned his face towards hers. "You don't have to tell me until you're ready. I just want you to know that I'm here to listen just as you all have been here for me," she said, smiling sweetly. "Alright then, I'll tell you," he said in a serious tone. "They're all dead. They were murdered."

Robin felt a chill trickle down her spine as she listened to his words. _Murdered…_ "There used to be about fifty members, and they were all slaughtered on one mission. We were going to an abandoned castle where they found several undead witches using elemental powers there. We were to stop them. I ended up getting locked in a cellar with Kan, and the two of us just heard screams from the top floor. Taki got us out about an hour or so later and we saw all the dead members. It was a bloodbath, and we don't even know who did it. They could still be out there," Suzu said, biting his lip. Robin thought for a moment, repeating his words to herself. _Don't know who did it…_ "I'm sorry Robin! I must be scaring you!" Suzu apologized, bouncing off the bed. "I should leave you with better thoughts!"

She just shook her head, giggling. "I don't know if that's possible right now. I have a lot on my mind." "Well then, let me try this. The STN-J wishes you luck and hopes to see you soon," he sang as he skipped to the door merrily, picking up his shoes. "WHAT!" Robin stopped herself from hopping off the bed, thinking of her sore ankle. "That's right. Chris contacted them today. You'll have to talk to him about that tomorrow. I'm sure they'd want to see you again." Suzu winked at her, shutting the door as he left. Robin just sat on the bed, her jaw dropped slightly as she thought of each one of them. _Thank goodness they are alright. I can't wait to see them. _She lay back, looking at the ceiling. "I have a lot of decisions to make, but the most important one involves Taki." She swallowed, thinking of all the spilt blood from the stories she had just been told. "I can't help but think…that the murders involved…" Robin's sentence was cut off as sleep overtook her.

"_Robin? Robin?" "What? Amon?" Robin looked around, seeing nothing but darkness. "AMON!" "Robin?" "AMON!" She began running desperately, searching for the voice that called to her, tripping. "Robin…why did you do this?" A soft voice called out as the wind blew her hair every which way. "Suzu?" Robin gasped as a transparent version of Suzu stood before her, blowing in the wind. "Why did you do this Robin? Why?" "What did I do?" She cried, her hands shaking. "Robin…" Suzu whispered before disappearing into the wind. "SUZU! COME BACK! PLEASE!" Robin picked herself up, hurrying to find someone…anyone._

"_It can't be true Robin…" A feminine voice said. Robin tried to stop, sliding along the now icy ground. Looking down, she saw the reflection of Kan, a sad expression on her face. "Kan…" Robin bent down, surprised to find Kan's motions matching hers completely. "Kan, what's wrong?" "Robin, you gave your arcana ability away so easily. How could you do something like this? Tell me it isn't true…" "What isn't!" Robin said in a fierce voice as the wind picked up. "Robin…" Kan's image faded and snow began falling everywhere. Robin squinted unable to see. "Where are you!" "Something's wrong! Robin!" "We have to stop her! We can't let her die!" Robin held her hands over her ears, crying as the familiar voices of Dojima and Sakaki played into her mind. "What do we do? She's far gone…" "Karasuma!" "We can't do much now. This is life or death." "We have to keep trying. It's Robin." "MICHAL! CHRIS!" _

_Robin felt her head spinning as the ones she loved spoke, but were still unseen. Suddenly, the blizzard stopped, and Robin was right in front of a large black coffin. Her trembling figure slowly stumbled to it, her fingers touching the smooth casket. "Who…?" She pulled up the top, seeing only two beautiful and pale hands holding red flowers while the rest of the body was covered in black cloth. "Someone dead?" "Ro…bin…" She gasped as a deep voice called out to her in pain. Robin turned, seeing a trail of blood making a path in the snow. "Oh my god. That voice…Amon!" Her feet carried her quickly, but the trail seemed endless. "Please let me find him soon…Please…" Suddenly, the blood began rising, turning into bright pink and red petals that would be found under a cherry blossom tree. "What does this mean? Amon! Where are you!" Robin screeched to a stop as a scene of horror appeared before her. Amon was lying lifelessly on a large bed of red petals, blood streaming from his body. "Amon…" Robin almost collapsed to the ground, holding her own so she could reach him, holding his freezing body tightly. "Amon! Wake up! Wake up!" _

"_Ro…bin…" He whispered weakly, his dark eyes opening to show tears in his eyes. Robin gasped. His eyes rarely brought forth tears. "Amon! Tell me what's going on! Amon!" "Robin…" he choked as he struggled to finish. "When I see you again…" "Tell me…Tell me…" She begged, tears falling from her aquamarine eyes onto his pale face. "When I see you again…" He repeated. Suddenly, a slicing sound rang out. Robin gasped as Amon's eyes widened, shutting slowly. She looked up, feeling the warm spray of blood on her face. "AMON!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. "AMON!" "Robin, it's alright," a voice similar to Amon's soothed. Robin's eyes looked up to see Taki, dressed in blue clothes so rich they made him look like a king. He was holding a long sword which he had impaled directly into Amon's heart. "You did this…Taki…You…" Robin felt her head spinning, her whole body heating up with rage. "Stop it Robin…you don't want to hurt me," he whispered._

_She once again looked deep into the two pools of blue and despite all her hate for him, she calmed. "That's better. Now come my queen. I need you," he said, reaching out his hand. Robin gasped as she found herself standing, walking to Taki obediently. "No…I don't…Amon!" Robin looked back, trying with all her will to return to the one she loved, but her feet kept moving until she was in Taki's arms. He held her tenderly, smiling as tears streamed down her face. "Don't cry Robin. After we find the Arcanas, I shall take care of everything. Just rest until I need you," he whispered, kissing her lightly. "I don't…" Robin felt herself falling backwards, the world around her darkening as she went further and further. "I…"_

Robin sat up, back in her room. She took several deep breaths as the room came back into focus. "My god, that was the realest dream I've ever had…I'm still getting chills. That was terrible." Robin rubbed her forehead, trying to forget the realistic nature of the dream. "Maybe I should get some more rest…" Just as Robin was about to go back to sleep, the sounds of an ambulance came into play. _Ambulance?_ She stumbled out of her room, almost running directly into Suzu and Kan, both still in their pajamas. "Guys! What's going on?" She asked, catching Kan's arm as they went by. "We're not sure yet. We just woke up too," Kan replied. "We were gonna find Suzuki and ask her." The three began down the hall, but Suzu stopped when they reached Taki's door. "What's wrong?" "Taki wouldn't sleep through all of this…" "Do you think he's in there?" Kan said, standing before the door. "Maybe…" "Taki? Taki, are you in there?" Kan called, knocking. To their surprise, the door opened. Kan backed into the wall immediately. "Oh my god…"

Suzu stepped inside to inspect the room. There was blood everywhere and the room was in shambles. Feeling a draft, he looked towards the window to see it broken. "Where's Taki?" Robin questioned, coming in behind him. "I don't know…but I think he's in trouble…" The two looked out the window to see the ambulance opened with a stretcher being wheeled towards it, Suzuki running along beside it. Robin squinted, but couldn't tell who it was because of her eye sight, but Suzu knew. "Chris…" "That's Chris?" Robin felt her heart thumping, thinking of the danger he could be in. _If someone could do this to Taki, imagine what they could do to Chris…_ "Let's go!" Robin exclaimed, hurriedly running from the room. "What kind of attack is this?" Kan thought out loud as they ran down the stairs. "I don't know. It's strange how only certain people were attacked. There has to be a catch."

They screeched to a stop as soon as they reached the outside. Robin watched paramedics preparing the doors, wheeling the stretcher towards them. "Chris!" Robin called, hurrying over so she could see him. His face was bloody and his left shoulder was wounded. The rest of his body was covered with a white sheet, but Robin had a hunch he was injured all over. "Chris…" "R...Robin…" He turned his head to look at her, his hazel eyes looking into hers. "In my room...there's a program. You need to find that program…" "I will," she said, taking his hand. He smiled innocently at her. "Be strong. I'm coming back…" Robin held his hand tightly until he was wheeled away. _Be strong Robin._ Robin couldn't help but break down, sobbing on the ground. Suzuki rushed to her, helping her up. "Don't worry. We're going to figure this all out." She led Robin over to the others, herding them all inside.

They sat down to breakfast, everyone quiet and tense. No one ate. There was no way they could. Suzuki noticed the distress that all three had, so she spoke up. "I might as well tell you what I know. I woke up this morning and began down the hall. I went into Taki's room to see him, but he was gone. The blood had me worried. Then I ran into the research room because Chris is always there, and I found it completely destroyed. Chris was in the middle of the floor. He was soaking wet and he was shot with Orbo." "Orbo!" Robin gasped. "But no one here has Orbo." "I know. Luckily, he was shot in the shoulder so it hadn't spread. I asked him about what went on while we awaited the ambulance, but strange enough, he couldn't remember…"

"This doesn't make sense. We don't have that many enemies, and Chris rarely ever leaves the STEA-L because of all his research, so he's not easily recognized. And who is strong enough to take Taki?" Suzu questioned, leaning back in his chair as he massaged his temples. "We have a mastermind on our hands…" Suzuki agreed, sighing. "I can't say much right now. I guess we're going to have to move research to the library for now. Don't worry about the situation at this time. Just get back to your researching." The three stood, going towards their rooms. Suzuki watched them, putting her head down once they left. "This is terrible. I'm afraid for them. They're all in a lot of danger…and I think Chris knew."

Robin was the last to reach the library. Suzu and Kan were already deep in research, conversing quietly. "Here we go!" Suzu hollered, clapping his hands. "Hey Robin, can you look at a book for me?" Robin nodded, and Suzu gave her the section and the name. Robin began searching quietly, finding the area. "Let's see…Advanced Potions and Spells…" She looked for several minutes, but no book like that was there. Strange enough, there was a hole in the bookshelf where it should have been. _Did someone else take the book? Who? _"If they were looking for this book, then it has to be important." Robin sighed, leaning against the bookcase. _The day is only beginning and I'm already feeling like I'm being hunted…_Her eyes moved idly around, when they caught someone at the window. "Taki," she whispered, opening the window. He was just as bloody as Chris, yet he still had a grin on his face.

"Taki, you have to hurry inside so we can help you," she coaxed, trying to help him in. "No Robin. There are still some things I need to do. For now," he said, looking her in the eye seriously. "Stay alive and wait for me. We still have a deal." With that, he kissed her on the forehead, shutting the window. Robin turned around, calling out to Suzu, only to turn around again and see nothing. _He's gone!_ "What's up Robin? Did you find it?" Suzu called from across the room. Robin just stared out the window, watching the clouds roll by. "…No!" _What are you thinking Taki? What's going on? And this dream…What does it mean?_ "Hey Robin! Hurry back! We have another mission! "Oh! Coming!" She called, hesitating for few moments, taking one last long look out the window before hurrying away. _I have a feeling we're in more danger than we know…_


	5. Chapter 5:Mission to Question

Author's Note: Sorry for the half year hiatus. I've been going through some problems right now and haven't had much inspiration to write, but I'll muddle through.

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Chapter Five: Mission to Question

"A mission?"

"That's right," Suzu nodded cheerfully as he rested his hands behind his head, nodding. "It's just for you." Robin cocked her head in confusion while her two allies beamed at her slyly. "You'd better go meet Suzuki so she can inform you," Kan suggested, returning to her work with a long yawn. "A…Alright," Robin stuttered as she made her way to the large doors, stopping for a few moments. "Um…Where exactly is Suzuki's office?" She blushed from Kan's energetic laughter, moving past the always smiling Suzu to Robin. "I'll take you there. We can have a little girl talk on the way."

The two began their walk down the endless carpeted hall. Robin was silent for the most part, her eyes keeping with her feet as they made their way. Kan watched her out of the corner of her pale eyes, thinking to herself. _What is she thinking about so much? She's been like this ever since the other day. _"Robin, you seem really…out of it lately. Has something been going through your mind?" Robin, used to being worried about at this point was even more embarrassed. Everyone was thinking about her all the time, when she was the one causing all the trouble. Besides, there were more important things to worry about! What about Chris, who was knocking on death's door rapidly? Even though she didn't want to admit it, Robin was worried about Taki as well. He left in such a hurry…and his room…_Why worry about me?_ She decided to give her sweet friend a half truth. "I'm just thinking about what to do next…and about Chris. It's not anything you guys weren't thinking about."

Before Kan could press harder on her seemingly miserable friend, the two had come upon a large pair of black doors that gave off an ominous presence. Robin stared in awe at the structure of the large doors while Kan giggled at the surprise held in the young girl's blue green eyes. "Hurry up silly! Get in there!" "Oh, but shouldn't I knock or…" She gasped as Kan's forceful push sent her through the doors, causing her to almost lose her glasses. A slam left her alone with a room of curtains. _Where is everything?_ "E…Excuse me, Ms. Sazaki? Are you here?" "Of course," Sazaki's mature voice answered through the red silhouette. Robin instantly began shifting through the maze of fabric, led by Sazaki's voice. "You'll never find me that way Fire. Just think it through."

Immediately, the booted feet halted. At this point, Robin had been through enough games. "Ms. Sazaki…" "If you plan on giving up that easily, then you won't be able to get any farther. Especially if you want to see your friends again," Robin was informed. _Why won't anyone tell me anything straight!_ Her hands fiercely pulled the glasses from her eyes, and for a little while, it felt like actual fire was within them. Reflexively, she squinted, accidentally spreading her flames onto the curtains that seemed to disappear as soon as they were ignited. All that was left was a solitary chair. "M…Ms. Sazaki?" The chair spun around, revealing the dark haired leader. "I'm sorry. It's my security system. We can't take anymore chances can we?" _She must be talking about Chris…_ "R…Right."

Sazaki then reached at her side to grab a case and pulled it into her lap. "This is what I need you to do. Listen carefully. This is a mission you cannot fail. Prove to me I made the right choice by choosing you." Sazaki's eyes darkened while the case was handed to Robin. "What's in this? It isn't very heavy," Robin commented, lifting it up and down in her hands curiously. "I can't tell you that now, but you will find out. All I can tell you is to take this, and move as fast as you can." Fumbling with the case, Robin caught a rolled up map. "This is going a bit fast Ms. Sazaki…" "STOP! No time to talk! You need to hurry Robin! Just follow the map, and everything will work out! BYE!" "W…"

A slamming door caught Robin's attention as she spun around, only to realize she was back in that same dim hallway she'd walked down with Kan. "When did I get out here?" Her eyes met back with the door, looking it over suspiciously. "Ms. Sazaki…I wonder what kind of powers she has." _If she's the leader of an organization like this, she must have something extraordinary up her sleeves…_

Making a quick stop to her room, Robin hunted through her drawers in hopes of a weapon. "Nothing. Not even a hand gun. How am I supposed to protect myself with just fire?" She went to sulk on her bed only to jump up seconds later as a heavy metal click made itself known beneath her. "What the…" Robin's hand cautiously reached for the carefully placed gun, turning it every which way in her hand. The word _Flame_ was written in crimson red cursive along the side. It sped the beating of Robin's heart, giving her an odd feeling of closeness to it. It took her a few moments to notice the white card lying on her bed. She hurriedly picked it up, reading the dark handwriting.

_All you need is this gun to protect yourself. Your flames will ignite its power and as long as you have the will, the flame will be able to protect you. One day, flame will rejoin with its partner, and balance will be restored in the world. _

_Love,_

_Eternal_

"Eternal…" A smile crossed Robin's pale face, her voice faintly whispering the word again. "Eternal. It is such a beautiful word. An eternal flame, how wonderful it would be to see such a thing." Losing herself in sub conscious, Robin held the note tightly in her hand, the gun in the other. "It seems the mysteries never end. That is why I must do this mission. I will find out as much as I can, even if I have to do it alone." Nodding to herself, Robin put the gun in her coat, along with the card. Picking up the case, the young witch took off into the shadows of daytime.

The worn map was carefully unrolled within Robin's fingers while her feet hurried through an empty alley. She hoped to remain inconspicuous during her travel through the bustling day of the city. Accurately taking each twist and turn the same way they were portrayed on the map, Robin grew closer to her destination. Strangely enough, the path was easy to follow and peculiarly familiar. _This is eerie. Ms. Sazaki isn't telling me everything. Should I even trust her? We've barely spoken…_

The directions led her through a poorly lighted parking garage. Her silent mumbling echoed across the drabness, enveloping the gruff sound of gravel being dragged against dirty shoes. The ground grew spotted with each drop of liquid falling from beneath two already drenched coats. These drops sparked Robin's attention, and she did a full turn already pointing her new weapon. "You've been following me for quite some time now. What do you want?" The only answer given to the apprehensive witch was a short grunt from beneath the heavy leather of one of the person's jacket. After repeating herself in a harsher tone, only to receive the same answer, Robin knew it was hopeless to speak, and action was the only course to take at this point. She was taking NO chances on this mission. It was too dangerous.

The swaying of the figures sent Robin into quick action, her flames catching the leather on one's coat as she flipped her gun forward, taking a few shots towards the other. While the coats were quickly melting, the two figures stood stone still, a sway here and there. _What are these things? _In a split second, one had lunged forward with a flip of its hand, and several sharp needle like objects were heading towards Robin's direction. Half turning, she rarely escaped the shots of needles, isolating one of the creatures with a kick, drawing him further down the empty land. After sliding a few feet, it hoped back on its feet without any hesitation. Little did Robin know that behind her, a blade was coming down. She was too late to react and a wound rippled down her back. The blood that found its way onto the burning leather finished the coat off, leaving a bare form before Robin. _What is this?_

The shape was that of a human, but the form's skin showed right through him. The drips under it grew into a small puddle. "No way…" What could be done now? Robin knew her only craft was the power of flame, which would never survive against these fully functioning water beings. While she was in her astounded thought, the case disappeared from her hand with a swish of cool liquid. "NO!" Flying a spinning kick behind her, Robin was holding her foot through a hole in the form that held the briefcase in what looked like it would be a hand. "STOP!" She reacted naturally, narrowing her eyes only to watch the flame die away. _I was entrusted with that case. If I lose it, Ms. Sazaki will never trust me again! _She was trapped between the two menacing figures with no idea in her mind. Her gun was fueled by her power, and her powers were absolutely useless. It would seem physical strength was all she had to her advantage. "Alright then. I'm getting that case back!"

Robin charged towards the case carrying being with full speed. She dug her foot into it, splitting it in half for just enough time to grab the wet case. A surging pain yanked her back and forced her against the wall. Her cry of pain rang into the air with a shrill echo. Robin's green eyes widened to see blood running down her hand as a blade of water stuck through it as though it were steel. The blade was attached to the arm of the second form whose other hand had grown and kept her against the concrete. "D…Damn it…" She tensed at the sound of the other arm forming chillingly slow into a sword aimed directly at her forehead. It seemed the other was morphing its entire body into the other in order to extend the blade dangerously close to the center of her chest. Her ear caught the bubbled groaning which seemed to be saying… "Robin…Robin…" _They're calling me…?_ She let out a silent gasp with continual shaking as the blades blurred with their speed. "I…failed…"

"That's pretty pathetic, isn't it?" A questioning voice taunted her in a rather disappointed tone, carried across the room by a bullet. It quickly buried itself into the clear body of the creature that was to send the final blow. That voice brought such immense joy to Robin's ears; such undoubtedly large love into her heart. The feeling was short lived, killed by the pain of the hard ground that she was thrown into. The other form had turned its attention in the bullet's direction just in time to avoid the same puddle fate that its ally had faced.

Robin's hand landed in the middle of a tiny circle of her own blood that had spilled from her gaping wound. "A…A…" Two black boots made a quick slide to stop beside her; the face she wanted to see so much leaned forward to look at her. "Amon. Why are you here?" Robin squeezed through clenched teeth. His eyebrows arched as though the question made no sense. "How could you just go off alone like that? Didn't I warn you to be careful?" Losing the relief, Robin sat up to face a disappointed looking Amon. "I do what I'm told. I can't fail anymore…" Eye contact broke awkwardly. _I don't want Amon to know what's going on…I don't want him to see me like this…_

The heels of her feet ground into the concrete to balance her stand. "You aren't planning on fighting any further are you?" An empty shell dropped to the floor as Amon reloaded his gun with a smirk. What was with this new bitterness he seemed to be harboring? Days ago, he was taking her in his arms. _This is more like the Amon I knew…_ The relentless Robin found her way back to the case that had been tossed aside in the heat of battle. "I'm not going to try and stop you. You know that, right?" Robin answered his question with a nod while her eyes traced the rest of the short path she would have to walk. "Study your crafts a bit better. That's my suggestion. You hesitated," Amon added in a bitterly smug tone.

"Why are you criticizing me like this! Shouldn't you be happier to see I'm alive?" The parking lot accentuated the new ferocity that flamed in Robin's throat. "Every time I see you, you're either scolding me or just being quiet! I've done everything you've asked, and you're torturing me! How much more of this do you expect me to take Amon! TELL ME!" His gloved hand hushed her urgently. Robin's green eyes darted to his face, seeing him mouth words she could not understand. _Something is wrong…_The hand slid from its position over her mouth to the collar of her jacket. "You don't understand," he muttered simply.

Amon began a rush of steps that lead him out, his hand jerking Robin's collar to follow. "Ever since the incident that happened with Chris and that idiot, security is at an all time high. They're hearing everything we've said so far." The two dashed between daylight and shadow with a new speed. Robin was barely able to find her footing, let alone her surroundings. "How did you know about Chris?" Robin blurted out between pulls and pushes. "That's not important. Just watch what you do and say. Especially around me considering I'm not supposed to be anywhere near you as of late. It has been forbidden." _Forbidden._

Robin tried squeezing out of the tight grip as the information filled her mind. Amon knew this information, but he wasn't allowed near her…What did that mean? Was he involved? "Robin, you can't stop moving! You're in da…" "How do you know Taki?" She cut in, regretting it from the narrowing of his eyes. Suddenly, his free hand snapped her face in his direction, the seriousness lowering his voice. "Never mention him. Don't even look for him. You have to swear that to me. I can't risk you getting further into this than you already are. Especially considering what you have." "W…What I have?" "Don't ask, just swear."

When leaning closer to Amon, Robin was able to see the dampness in Amon's hair and the unusually fair complexion he had. _I knew he would be hiding something from me…_"I…" Shame dragged Robin's eyes to the concrete. "I swear that I won't," whispered the voice in a discouraged tone. A thank you kiss rewarded her, even though she was halfheartedly sincere. _This is wrong. If I'm not in danger, that means he is…_She thought correctly, for when Amon's lips receded, blood traced the lining Robin's lips had pressed into seconds before. "A…Amon! What happened?" She cried in horror, noticing his hand fly to his chest in a swift movement.

"Nothing!" Robin attempted to move his hand, only to have her hands pushed into her chest and her body spun around in the opposite direction. Amon's arms wrapped around her tightly as if to keep her arms at bay. "You're here; now please just remember what I've told you. Do not forget…" His lips pressed to the spot on her neck, replacing the fading memory he'd given to her days earlier. The young woman felt her loneliness returning with the kiss, as if it were killing her all on its own. "Goodbye Robin."

Her feet shuffled backwards with the pressure of falling. "AMON!" Glancing behind her slightly revealed shoulder, Robin saw nothing more than her shadow. A drip of his blood had colored her lips, and she knew he wasn't telling her everything. _He's done it again…_ "Robin?" A quiet voice from out of no where questioned in a curious tone. "I know that voice…" Holding the case closer to her beating heart, the fiery witch did a few takes around two large pillars, landing her right in front of an old well. _Could it be…?_ She gathered up the layered coat to help herself down onto the ground. Slowly, she peeked around the side, meeting face to face with the glasses wearing friend she'd missed so much. "Hey, it's been awhile hasn't it?" Laughed the voice with a familiar wink. "MICHAEL!" Robin couldn't help but throw her arms around the techno wizard she hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

The two sat side by side as if today was like any other day in the past. Michael hadn't changed at all, and Robin didn't expect him too. She liked him this way. The only difference he held was his liberation. No collar held fast to his neck, which must have been the cause for his jovial happiness. His headphones were placed around his ears as always, the wires tracing his thin sides. "So Robin, you're finally back. I was worried you'd never show up." Michael adjusted his black rims around his dark eyes, giving his best smile to the forlorn looking beauty. "You have something for me?" He guessed with a look towards the briefcase. "OH! Y…Yes. Ms…My employer said that it was rather important. I haven't even seen the contents myself." "Alright then. Let's see what's inside."

Flipping the buckles and letting them snap, Michael slid his fingers into the opening, pushing it up lightly. Robin's face expressed wide disbelief with the discovery. Her former companion burst into laughter as soon as he saw the sight. "Robin! Is this a joke from your employer? Donuts and ground coffee beans! This is hilarious!" He heartily slapped his knees, tears welting up in his eyes. "Oh Robin! You always bring a good laugh! I missed you a lot!" Michael exclaimed, shutting the case and bouncing to his feet. Robin remained in her seated position, her face still holding the shock. _Ms. Sazaki…What was she thinking! I went through all that trouble for n…_ Michael's hand waved an invisible circle around Robin's face to draw her attention. "Come on! Don't be down. Your employer must have known all along just what we like." The hand stopped, holding out to her. "Michael…" "Come on Robin! I bet you can't wait to see the others! They've been beside themselves!"

A smile drew across the weary face, a hand taking another. "I suppose Amon was going on a mission when I saw him. He was in a bit of a hurry," Robin signed longingly, looking ahead and remembering the way she used to go. "Amon…" Michael pressed his index finger against his glasses as the name echoed the dingy walls. "You didn't know he was gone Michael? You usually do…" Robin was forced to halt when Michael took a turn to stand facing her. "Robin, I…" An abnormally depressed sigh pushed forward from his lips alongside a swallow. "Robin, I don't know how to tell you this…but Amon has been in a coma since he was found beside the well in the factory…At first, the doctors were baffled because smoke hadn't been present in his lungs. All they said was that he was soaking wet…"

The final piece of Robin's heart was torn with each word that came from Michael's unhappy lips. "But I just saw…" "You were probably just daydreaming. He's down at Nukumi Hospital. I could take you there…if you want to see him that is." It seemed the rest of what Michael said was in the wind. Robin didn't want to hear anything more. _I swore I saw him. I felt him…He kissed me. He held me. His mark…_The rusty clank of the steel door agonizingly awakened her back to reality. "Let's go Robin." "R…Right…"

The slam of the door was heard and a single pair of boots was clacked against the ground. "So…Amon is at Nukumi Hospital," the dark voice spoke to the air, a roaring laugh soon following. "Looks like we can finally finish what we've started." A hand ran through a few strands of dyed blue hair and the smile grew. Taki dug his boot into a puddle left behind from an early rain shower. "Then I can finally give you the thanks I deserve for this existence of mine. I hope you're ready Amon." The lifeless puddle grew into a swirling ripple for a few mere seconds, surrounding Taki's body. Seconds later, it returned to its former state, leaving nothing more than the imprint of a boot. _Finish this, we shall…_

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Author's Note: Once again, I am really sorry for the half year hiatus. I'm ashamed of myself! Sadly, I don't have any good news. I plan on putting this story on hiatus for a very long time. Why? Well, I have four stories (two here and two on another site) and this one is very hard for me to write. I have decided t put this one, along with one of my Fruits Basket stories on another site on hiatus so I have less to worry about. Maybe I will update it if I have time, but it will not be frequently updated for a long time. I'm really sorry, but my other story on this site (in the Lord of the Flies section) is going faster and is more popular. Please don't hate me! And if you're wondering what the other story is I'm doing(a Furuba one), look up my name on AnimeSpiral. Once again, I'm sorry for all those hoping for quick updates.

I hope you will continue to support the story and me. I'll figure this out eventually.


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